Edinburgh in 3 Days

Edinburgh completely surprised me during my city trip in January. Even in winter, I found the Scottish capital to be incredibly cool and worthwhile for a city trip. What I like is that you can explore almost all the highlights in just one weekend. This program will help you discover most of Edinburgh's highlights in 3 days. This way, you'll get the most out of your short trip. And if you're quick, you should also visit Glasgow.

Here is my suggestion for your 3-day itinerary in Edinburgh, hoping that you will enjoy your time in Scotland's capital just as much as I did. Additionally, there are helpful travel tips that will make your weekend trip to Edinburgh even more relaxing.

You can find everything important about the top attractions in Edinburgh here

Best travel time: All year round, summer (the most famous festivals take place in August). My tip: August (festivals) or fall (September). New Year's Eve in Edinburgh must also be amazing. Travel guide: DuMont Direct Edinburgh (compact with everything you need to know) Getting there: Find flights / Book train tickets or take the ferry Accommodation booking: booking.com / Tripadvisor Activities & Tickets pre-booking: Get Your Guide Culinary tours: EatWith or Get your Guide

Before your city trip, you should first consider how many days you want to spend in Edinburgh. Next, I recommend thinking about whether you want to spend all the time just in Edinburgh or also take a day trip to Glasgow or to Loch Ness, Glencoe, and the Scottish Highlands. Option 3 is if you're on a road trip in Scotland anyway.

How you decide depends on you. Each of these options is valid. There is so much to see, especially in Edinburgh, there is much to do. Therefore, I advise you to get up early in the morning to make the most of your stay. We tend to fill our days because we are curious and want to see as many attractions as possible.

There is no limit to the time you can spend in Edinburgh. I could also create a program for 1 week without boredom. But I assume that you are probably visiting Edinburgh on a shorter trip. Therefore, I put together this 3-day Edinburgh itinerary.

My personal recommendation is to plan at least 3 days in Edinburgh to be able to discover the highlights and a bit of culture (and the nightlife) too.

The capital of Scotland can be reached from the US in just two flights. There are direct flights from major US airports like Frankfurt, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Munich, and Cologne. Unfortunately, not available every season. I always use Skyscanner to search for flights. You can read my tips for finding cheap flights here.

At Edinburgh Airport, there are several ways to get into the city. We took the tram for £5.50 (return ticket for £8.50). It takes about 30 minutes to reach the center (Princes Street or Waverly Station).

Alternatively, you can take the Airport Express bus Airlink 100 for £4.50 to the city center (Waverly Bridge). Depending on traffic, you may arrive faster or slower. For us, the tram was the best option as it goes directly to York Place, where our hotel was located.

Depending on the time of day and traffic, a taxi ride to the center costs around £20 - £25. If you have more than three people, taking a taxi might be worthwhile.

Since Scotland is part of Great Britain and has never been part of the Schengen Area, you will need a passport (not just an EU ID) to enter.

The official currency in Scotland is the pound (£). One pound is approximately $1.15. However, you can pay almost everywhere with a credit card and don't need much cash.

In Edinburgh, there are many centrally located and good accommodations. There are numerous hotels as well as private apartments that you can book through Airbnb. There's an appropriate place to stay for every budget.

Our hotel tip: We stayed at Courtyard by Marriott Hotel, which is centrally located and very close to Carlton Hill. The breakfast was decent, the rooms were an ideal size and very modern. Also, the tram goes all the way to York Place, which is just a short walk to the hotel.

Alternative tip: Grassmarket Hotel. Right at Grassmarket in the center of Edinburgh.

If you've read several of my travel reports, you will have noticed that we like to fill our days with sightseeing and activities from morning till night.

So here is my suggestion for a weekend in Edinburgh:

To get an initial impression of a city, I recommend that you participate in a walking or cycling tour. Since we were in Edinburgh during winter, we bought a ticket for the hop-on hop-off bus to see the main sights. An audio guide (also in English) provides you with important information about the places you visit. The tour takes about 1-1.5 hours (depending on traffic). You can hop on and off anywhere, or as we did, take it once to get an overview of Edinburgh.

Lunch: After that, walk through the Old Town or climb Calton Hill for a great view of the city, the Balmoral Hotel, and Princes Street. The views here are particularly breathtaking at sunset.

By the way, my favorite street is the winding colorful Victoria Street:

If you still have time after that, a visit to Edinburgh Castle is recommended, as the Scotch Whisky Experience is almost at Castlehill. From here, you have a fantastic view of the city.

In the evening: In early evening, the Hidden Stories Tour starts in the labyrinth under South Bridge. Be sure to book the English tour, as all other options tend to be more kitsch.

End the evening in one of the many pubs.

Morning: Take a ride on the Majestic Line (blue line) of the hop-on hop-off bus. Get off at the Water of Leith Walkway (Canonmills) and walk at least to the Botanic Garden (free). Visit this and the greenhouses (free with a hop-on hop-off ticket).

Lunch: Continue on the bus to Leith to see the Royal Yacht Britannia. Explore the boat and grab a quick bite at the shopping center.

If you wish, you can get off the bus again at the Palace of Holyroodhouse and explore this and the Scottish Parliament. Then walk back to the Old Town via the Royal Mile. Unfortunately, our time was limited as we had a dinner appointment in the evening.

Evening: If you didn't visit the castle the day before, be sure to go to the castle esplanade at sunset for the view. Unfortunately, the castle and its museums close at 5 PM in winter and 6 PM in summer (April - September), so don't go too late if you want to get inside (costs £9.90). Afterward, you should again wind down your evening in one of the many pubs or restaurants.

Morning: Hike to Arthur's Seat and then visit Duddingston, the idyllic village on the back of the hill. Stop for lunch at a pub there before heading back.

Lunch: Today, take the time to visit all the places you couldn't see on Days 1 and 2. Especially the National Museum of Scotland should be on your list if you haven't yet visited it. Plan at least 2 hours here.

Evening: Go to a nice restaurant to say goodbye or return to a cozy pub.

Do you have an extra day to take a trip? Consider extending your 3-day Edinburgh city trip to 4 to 5 days. I can recommend the following excursions:

For Edinburgh, I like to refer to the travel guides from Dumont. I also buy the current pictorial atlas, as it contains additional tips and stories:

There are so many excellent places where you can eat wonderfully. I can highly recommend the following:

Other restaurants and bars that were recommended to us:

When you are in Edinburgh, you should explore the city on foot! Even if you limit yourself to a specific area, you will probably walk thousands of steps before you know it. Sneakers or comfortable shoes are ideal.

Edinburgh attracts a lot of visitors (even in winter). Often too many for my liking, especially during the popular summer months! If you want to avoid long lines or take photos without large crowds, you should not wait too long in the morning to start your exploration.

Thank you for reading my suggestion for a program to discover Edinburgh over a weekend. If you liked the article, please share it.

Do you want to always receive the best travel and insider tips? Then follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Threads or subscribe to my newsletter to receive regular updates and exclusive tips.

♥ Do you enjoy my tips? Say thanks with a coffee ☕️ My articles are the result of extensive research, personal experiences, and honest recommendations - entirely without AI. I write them to help you plan your travels stress-free with real, tested tips. If you enjoy my work and just want to say thank you, I'd appreciate a small contribution to my virtual travel fund. Every contribution helps me continue to create high-quality content for you with independence and passion. Thank you!

Trust is important: In some of my articles, you will find affiliate links. If you book or buy something through one of these links, it doesn't cost you anything extra - but I receive a small commission. This way, you can support me without any extra effort and help me keep this blog alive. Thank you for being part of my community and for sharing my passion for authentic travel!